Growth of a Community

Senior living communities and exceptional dining are rarely mentioned together, but at Beacon Hill it is a cornerstone of their philosophy and differentiates their community from others. A key area of the expansion will be the new dining and common areas, which will include 10,000 square feet devoted to enlarging the current dining room and adding a new dining venue called the Garden Café. It will seat close to 40 and will offer garden-fresh dishes from Beacon Hill's award-winning executive chef, Timothy England, and his professional culinary team.

Of course, the expansion's primary purpose is the 130,000 square feet for 56 independent living apartment homes, which will vary in size and amenities including one bedroom, two bedrooms, and a deluxe two-bedroom model.

Beacon Hill's Mary and Martha Health Care Center's semi-private suites will be converted into private residences and another 15,000 square feet will be devoted to 15 new private suites for short-term therapy guests. They are intended for people who need rehabilitation for hip fractures, strokes and other traumatic events that can be treated with a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center.

Beacon Hills' location within the Eastgate neighborhood also provides great benefits for the retirement community's residents. Nestled within Eastgate and close to East Grand Rapids, Beacon Hill offers life in a real urban community with easy, frequent interactions with people who live outside of Beacon Hill.

A desire to further enhance Beacon Hill's location within Eastgate prompted the addition of a Center for Arts and Worship as part of the expansion plans. It features a 250-seat auditorium designed for entertainment and faith-based programs and is meant to foster community interaction where local theater groups will be invited to perform and others will be welcome to use the auditorium for various events.